The present invention relates to electrical switches and particularly to a fast acting switch for commutating ultra-high DC currents.
A particular application calling for the switching of DC currents of extremely high magnitudes is in electromagnetic accelerators operating to propel a mass to very high velocities. Such accelerators require the generation of the high DC current which is typically utilized to charge an inductor. The inductor is then abruptly discharged to pump DC current of an extremely high magnitude into the accelerator in which the mass to be accelerated is situated. The flow path of this current and its attendant magnetic field can be made to interact in ways well known in the art to exert tremendous propulsion forces on the mass to achieve extraordinary exit velocities. The conversion from the inductor charging mode to the inductor discharging mode requires the commutation of current flow, hence the need for a high DC current switch.
The desire to increase the exit velocity of ever larger masses obviously requires more energy and thus higher DC current levels which must be switched. A switch capable of commutating DC currents of hundreds of thousands of amperes and even megamperes, as has been proposed, must be extremely fast acting and able to cope with the tremendous arcing involved.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved high DC current switch.
A further object is to provide a high DC current switch of the above-character which is capable of extremely high actuating speeds.
An additional object is to provide a high DC current switch of the above-character wherein the switching member thereof is accelerated into its switching motion electromagnetically.
Other object is to provide a high DC current switch of the above character wherein the switching motion of its switching member is decelerated to a stop electromagnetically.
Yet another object is to provide a DC current switch of the above-character which is capable of handling the violent arcing associated with switching high DC currents.
A still further object is to provide a high DC current switch which is compact in size, efficient to manufacture and reliable in operation.
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.